Lasting change requires three things: Changing the culture of the organization, appointing leaders who support change, and altering structures and policies.

At least so far, Pope Francis “recognizes that it takes more than a memo from the boss to change an organization.” Francis is modeling change by “preaching against clericalism and careerism in the church and by his example of leadership as service. It makes a big difference when the boss practices what he preaches.

“He also recognizes that it takes new leaders.”

They include a new Vatican secretary of state as well as a new CFO, a cardinal from Australia. “Plus, he fired and replaced most of the cardinals overseeing the Vatican Bank, and replaced people on his personnel committee. He talks often about the kind of bishops he wants — leaders who serve and smell like their sheep, not princes.”

Finally, Francis is working on changing policies and structures, “most clearly seen in financial reforms, but also in studies of reforms to the Vatican bureaucracy.”

CORRECT: This version corrects the name of the news organization to National Catholic Reporter.